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Hot keys, keyboard, how do you play mmo's
delete5230
Member EpicPosts: 7,081
Ok,
I played Most every mmo. In my years I'm often amazed at how some players are so good, and so fast. And what really perplexes me is how some could even chat and play without even skipping an ability.
It's obvious that many rely on Macros to string abilities, but besides that, are they using the assigned hot keys like 123456 or using their mouse over the tool bar.
As for me I use my left hand always on the wsad, and right on my mouse at all times, spamming abilities with my mouse pointer.
I need to get faster.....How do you play ?
Comments
I started doing this in Aion: ESDF for movement, AQWRTGVCXZ bound to abilities 1-10 on the hotbar (throw in Y and B if there are 12 slots). Second hotbar is Alt+the same hotkeys. I use X-Mouse Button to remap Mouse5 to the Alt key. So then, ability 4 in the second row is R while holding Mouse5. The mouse is just for movement/camera and targetting. If using Ventrilo, Mouse4 is the talk button.
Once you get used to ESDF you'll never be able to go back to WASD. It's so much more natural because your left hand is resting on home row, which makes typing much easier if you have to type.
I hate playing games on PC. I much prefer to use a controller.
In games I cant, I use the directional keys for movement when possible.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
WoW, thats intense, I'll have to really look into that.
Thanks
I play with basic nakedness. I don't do macros or use add ons. I like playing the game myself.
I, like you, have my left hand glued to WASD. I re-key all my abilities to my numpad for my right hand, using CTRL and ALT when needed on my left hand. I rarely touch my mouse. One reason I suck at PvP.
When I played my bard in EQ, if I got too chatty during downtime, my groupmates would yell, "Play your songs!" lol For me it is either chat or perform my skills
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Always been a keyboard/mouse player. Never been a clicker though, I used keybinds for years until I bought a N52 keypad. It's basically 3 rows of keys (14 total) plus an 8 way button and a couple of others. I found my gameplay improved using that, especially in PvP. It was just more compact that the keyb and easier to use.
I play like this:
Movement:
Arrow Keys
Abilities:
Numpad - Insert-Home-PgUp
Delete-End-PgDwn
CTRL (modifier) + all above
Total of 32 keys for abilities, all easy accessible
Since Im not a competitive player I play to have fun at my own pace. ALso I dont use macros. To play mmos i only use WASD for movement, 12345RF to use skills with my left hand (without moving my whole hand away from the WASD area to avoid looking down to the keyboard ). Then i use 67890 keys with mouse clicks because they are far from the WASD area which i keep my left hand there at all times (and my right hand always holding the mouse). If the game allows it then i also map 2 keys to the 2 extra buttons my mouse has close to my thumb (Logiteck g500). I never map QE for skills because i like to be able to strafe left and right on pve without holding the mouse click to turn around
That how i play mmos. Pretty simple, I do suck at pvp but i play for pve so.... whatever lol.
ALSO: IF the mmo is action based like TERA, DCUO, etc... I only use the keyboard to chat. Those action mmos i only play with my xbox controller so in case the game dont support gamepad and its action based then i dont play it.
EDIT: i never tab target a mob or a player. I mouse click every single mob i attack
I play using my hotkeys and mouse. I have a pretty bad reaction time in games but it's ok because I lag sometimes and then my timing is perfect for that ultimate combo chain that ultimately gets me killed. I use my 1-6 for instant casts or high priority skills, 7-0 for my long casts or long cooldown time skills (depends on how the class plays) and no hotkeys for my buffs. I generally make a macro for buffs that I use to click once for a full rebuff. I sometimes map my side buttons on my mouse for skills that I target an area on the ground with or skills that are used only in bad situations and have long cooldowns. I usually use my mouse for movement, most games now support the left+right click = move forward. It usually depends more on what kind of character I am playing but this is my general layout. I've tried the esdf layout but I like using tab-targetting and my pinky isn't incredibly long.
I played WoW up until WotLK, played RoM for 2 years and now Rift.
I am F2P player. I support games when I feel they deserve my money and I want the items enough.
I don't troll, and I don't take kindly to trolls.
It's pretty easy. Stop using your mouse to click abilities. Rebind all your keys so they are within reach of your left hand's fingers. I used to use 1-6 and everything surrounding WASD. I would also get used to using the mouse to move if your game has that option (ie: hold down both mouse buttons to move). The only time I really use WASD is to move backwards or strafe.
These days I use a Logitech G13 and G700 (though, that Naga rip off, i think the G600 looks really good). These are just tools for my own comfort. It took a while to get used to, but I prefer it over using a standard keyboard.
I used to play EXACTLY like this. I really loved this set up. The only problem is in PvP. The difference in the time it takes to do a 180 is significant. If you don't pvp and have no plans to pvp, this is a great option imo.
I use TFGH for movement. Abilities bound to:
3,4,5,6,7,8,w,e,r,a,s,d,<,z,x,c,y,u,i,j,k,l,b,n and m
mouse button 3 modified to CTRL and mouse button 4 modified to ALT.
So have 75 slots for abilities, since those are too many for most games I macro things like "target self" or "target focus" and things like that.
Mouse to look around and aim, except in tab target games where normally I can just tab (re-binded to "4" usually) enemies.
Don Quixote's Delusions
For most purposes I move with the mouse in my right hand and hit my ability keys hotkeyed to the default 1-0 with my left.
Except in TERA.
When I'm playing a healing spec, however, I will usually use WASD movement and target and click abilities with my mouse.
with my naga and anasazi
i pretty much is a Console gamer, although i do play some MMO on PC ( WoW, Vanguard )
i pretty much use hotkey, because i used to do PvP, so hotkey are pretty crucial, i rarely do point and click, i just love shortcut
but nothing can beat my experience with FFXI using controller on PS2, it's just amazing!
So What Now?
I work on computers all day so if the game lends itself to one I perfer a controller but it's impractical for most mmo's.
ASDW for movement, close keys mapped to non-combat skills or UI functions. 1 to 4, sometimes 6 are combat keys. I do macro when the class allows me to make multiple actions at once (1 key = hunters mark and pet attack for example).
Laptop with touchpad is tough. I usually play MMOs that don't need a mouse for combat. Shaiya for example, run toward a target, 1 to attack, 3/4 for abilities, 2 is AOE loot.
Yea, I only PvP with friends
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
I roll my face across the keyboard.
Taru-Gallante-Blood elf-Elysean-Kelari-Crime Fighting-Imperial Agent